Where has all the Topper News Gone?

Hi Folks,
I was just wondering what is happening in the world of Scottish Toppers and I thought I would cast an eye over that useful Scottish Toppers blog that is always do up to date and informative.... What no posts since October? Have all the Toppers been in hibernation?

Well I know that is not the case! perhaps we are just too busy to remember to share our hectic training schedule with the wider world?

I am currently busy trying to put together next years Open Series events or at least I would be if i could get a minute between working and acting as a delivery driver to Topper training, school events, scout camps, gang shows, swimming pools, parties and the like.

I do know that you have all been very bust (oops, freudian slip, not credit crunch bust, I meant busy) with one thing or another. A chance meeting with the Milford clan last weekend (both days, different venues) confirmed the good news that the West squad had a great first weekend of training at Largs with an overnight at Inverclyde. Well done Laurie, sounds great, hope the new Optimist members did not cause you too much trouble!

The Scottish Squad have now had their first Cumbrae weekend which seems to have gone very well by all accounts. Weather not too bad, nothing broken, rain arrived just in time for packing up on Sunday - as usual.

The same weekend Lesley drove to Alton Towers to collect Sammi from a Scout event on the Saturday and to transfer her to Northampton SC to catch the second day of the first ITCA (GBR) Youth Sqaud weekend. My turn to to the driving next weekend (both the car and a support RIB, brrrrr...) It was howling windy (remember the gales that weekend) but I believe Scottish honour was upheld as Sammi may not have been the fastest round the course but was definitely the last boat still racing when all sailing was abandoned in the face of 40 knots plus.

The next weekend we were off to Largs for a day of Open Training with Joanne whilst Sammi was hanging from a tree. (Venture Scout Hamock camp - sleeping in the open between two trees under a tarpaulin) Joanne and Kae (Clark) had a great day learning to "review". A great excuse for a chat if you ask me! It was also really good to see a number of Scottish Toppers past and present benefiting from Largs SC club training led by our 2009 Development Fleet coach Emma Wilkie. Then my next trip was back to the Royal Tay Yacht Club for our weekly visit to their winter series where Lesley is crewing a 420 for Sammi.

What else is happening? Oh yes that Open series for 2010, well I guess I should start another post for that one. Meanwhile please send me your Scottish Topper News. We all want to know what is happening and our avid readers will soon tire of hearing what I do every weekend...

Graham